A Golden Christmas
by kirauza343
Summary: The Charming family is back by popular demand in this sequel to A Charming Thanksgiving! It's Christmastime and Rumple and Belle are hosting the Charming Family Christmas, and with this family it's sure to be memorable! Nice and fluffy with Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Thief and a special surprise pairing sure to make this a Christmas to remember!
1. Preparing for War

**They're back! I'd like to thank everyone from last time around for all the awesome reviews; they really inspired me get this one up! New to the story? You might want to take a look at the first part, A Charming Thanksgiving, before you read, but if you decide not to I don't think you'll be completely lost. I will probably be updating this one a little slower than my last one because I'm trying to make sure this one is better written. This tale will contain Rumbelle, Snowing, Swan Thief, and a mystery couple to be revealed next chapter. We're going to get started with a little bit of Rumbelle fluff, so enjoy!**

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The clock read six thirty. Belle checked on the ham in the oven for the tenth time as she waited for the doorbell to ring. "Sweetheart, the ham's fine," a voice came from behind her as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Belle giggled as her fiancé's lips brushed across her neck.

"But it smells like the corn isn't," Belle said smirking. Gold jumped and immediately removed them from the eye. Belle laughed when she saw him frown. "I think they're ruined," she noted as she took a look at blackened kernels. "How did you manage to do that?" she asked incredulously.

"I was…distracted," Gold said smiling, causing Belle to laugh.

"Of course you were," she said smiling, giving him a small kiss on the lips. When she pulled away she took a look around the kitchen. They had spent all day in the kitchen working on this meal, and Belle was pleased with how everything turned out. _Well, except for the corn_ she thought. "I have to say, I think we did pretty well all things considered," she said. Gold had to agree with her. Between her being locked up for her time in Storybrooke, him only knowing the basics of cooking, and them constantly 'distracting' each other, it was a miracle that the corn was the only casualty.

"It's a good think you cook better in this world than you did in the forest," Gold teased and Belle gave him a playful pout.

"Hey, I was a princess. I didn't need to know how to cook. Besides, I picked it up pretty quickly," she pointed out.

"That you did," Gold admitted. Belle grinned and gave him another kiss, this one longer and less playful. Gold chuckled. "You know, it's a wonder we got anything done today," he mused. Belle giggled.

"It's a good thing we did though. We should have guests coming soon," she noted, looking over at the clock again. Only a few minutes had passed since she first looked at it. "Speaking of our guests," Belle started, her tone growing more concerned serious, "Please promise me you'll play nice," she said looking him in the eye. Gold sighed.

"Belle he-"

"That was in the past. Regina's done some not-so-good things herself and we had no problems with her at Thanksgiving," Belle interrupted. "You weren't exactly a model citizen yourself not too long ago," she added gently, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'll be the first to say that I haven't forgiven him for all that he's done," she admitted. "But we have to stay civil. For everyone else's sake. Besides, if he's coming with Regina he must have changed. The fact that he even agreed to come shows that much," Belle finished. Gold had a pained expression, but he knew that his true love was right.

"If he so much as tries anything-" Gold started, using a threatening tone he hadn't used in months.

"We'll ask him to leave," Belle said calmly, staring in the eyes of the man many had called a beast.

"And if he doesn't?" Gold asked quietly and Belle chuckled.

"Between Emma's magic and your cane I think we can persuade him," she said, giving a small smile. Gold managed a small laugh. The two stood in a comfortable silence for a moment. "So do you think Baelfire's going to propose to Emma?" Belle asked, her arms still around his neck. "I mean, I think, well, I hope he will eventually. Those two have seemed so happy this past month," she asked, enjoying the peace and quiet in his arms. _The calm before the storm_ she thought.

Gold thought for a moment. "I think he will. Maybe not tonight, and maybe not this year, but I think he will someday. Bae hurt Emma, and it's still going to take some time for her get past that, but they both love each other. I believe he will propose when they're both ready," he said smiling.

"Do you think it's true love?" she asked. The two of them, Baelfire and Emma, hadn't had to deal with anything like memory loss or a sleeping curse that requires true love's kiss to be broken. Belle didn't know of any other way to know for sure.

"I don't know," Gold admitted. "But I do know that I want them to be happy. If it's true love and they're meant to be together then it will happen. True love always prevails," he said, a smile on his lips. Belle raised an eyebrow.

"I didn't realize you were such a romantic," she teased.

"It's the truth," Gold protested. "How do you think you and I managed to be together?" he asked with a smirk.

"Good point," Belle admitted with a smile. "And speaking of my future stepson, I'm glad you two have mended your relationship. I couldn't stand watching both of you be so miserable, not after you worked so hard to find him again," she said.

"And I'm glad you and him have gotten along so well," Gold said. He then chuckled. "Did I tell you how he found out about you?" he asked. Gold didn't remember telling his fiancé the story. Belle shook her head. "You were in the hospital and we had just returned to Storybrooke after Hook stabbed me. I was dying in the back of my shop when I decided I needed to talk to you one last time. Bae and Emma were in the room when I made the phone call," he said, and realization struck Belle's face.

"The phone call you made while I had no memories. The one where you told me you were dying," she said. After she regained her memories, his phone call from his deathbed was the second thing Belle had asked about, the first being if Gold had found Baelfire. Gold nodded.

"I asked for the phone so I could talk to you, and Neal of course asked who 'Belle' was. Emma told him 'your dad's girlfriend'," he said chuckling. Belle laughed.

"I bet that would have been hilarious if you hadn't been dying," she teased. Belle still remembered the phone call. "I don't know if I ever thanked you for that phone call. What you said to me, it was perfect. I was lost and confused but you gave me an idea of the woman I had been before I lost my memories. You gave me hope that I would figure out who I was," Belle said after a moment. That phone call had helped her begin to remember and had convinced her to get to know the stranger that apparently loved her. After the initial hurdle, falling in love again didn't take long and once they had, true love's kiss broke the curse and gave her her memories back.

"Well, I figured if I was going to die, I at least wanted to help you find yourself again," Gold admitted with a small smile. He gently stroked her cheek. "You are an incredible woman, and I truly meant every word I said," he added, kissing her forehead. Belle smiled.

"All right, so what's the plan again?" she asked, and Gold immediately knew she was talking about their evening with the Charming family.

"Well, I believe everyone will show up first," Gold started, a smile on his face. Belle gave him a playful smirk in return. "Then I suppose we'll eat this meal we've been slaving away at all day. After that I'm not sure, it depends on what the others have planned," he said chuckling. "And of course, we celebrate Christmas tomorrow morning," Gold finished.

"I think you're going to like your present," Belle said smiling. She had learned all about Christmas in the month since Thanksgiving. One thing she found odd was that the actual reason people celebrated Christmas was to celebrate the birth of a savior._ Should we start giving each other presents on Emma's birthday?_ She thought.

"I think you'll like yours more," Gold said in a playful tone that reminded Belle of his mannerisms as the Dark One. Belle smirked.

"Somehow I doubt it," she said, absolutely certain that she was right.

"We shall see," Gold said, giving her one final kiss as he heard the doorbell ring.

"Well, here we go," Belle said grinning.

**Hmm, who is this mystery man? I think I made it pretty obvious, but you'll find out for sure next chapter :D**


	2. Awkward Introductions

**Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and favorites! Did you miss Regina, Neal, and the Charming family? Well, here they are! Figured out who our special guest is? Time to find out if you're right!**

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Belle opened the door to see the Charming clan standing there. "Come on in," she said smiling. "Do you need a hand?" she added, seeing the stack of presents in their arms.

"No, we've got it," Mary Margaret said smiling, though Belle couldn't tell because of the stack of presents she was holding. Belle ignored her and grabbed the presents on top.

"Right this way then," Gold said, directing them to the living room. The first things the Charmings noticed was the massive tree, elaborately decorated to look like something from a fairy tale.

"Wow," Henry stammered. Gold chuckled.

"I forgot you all hadn't been in here since we put the tree up," Gold mused as the others placed the presents around the tree.

"I expected something big and elaborate, but wow," David said. Belle gave a sheepish grin.

"That's sort of my fault. I picked out the tree and we kind of got a bit carried away decorating it," she admitted. "Where's Emma?" she asked, noticing that the blonde savior wasn't with them for the first time. Mary Margaret grinned.

"She and Neal had a lunch date and we haven't seen them since," she answered cheerily. "She'll probably arrive with him," Mary Margaret finished, and the group heard a doorbell. "That may be them right now," she said smiling.

"I have a feeling that would be our other lovely couple," Gold said sighing, acidity showing in his voice. Belle gave him a disapproving look, while the others looked confused.

"Other couple? Who's mom bringing?" Henry asked. Belle frowned, realizing she hadn't told the Charmings or Neal about him.

"I knew we were forgetting something," she muttered. "Anyways, Regina's brought a guest. I would like to ask that everyone be civil," Belle said. David raised an eyebrow, wondering who Regina was bringing that had Belle and Gold flustered. The doorbell rang again to snap him out of his thoughts, and Belle went to answer the door. Standing in the doorway was Regina as she expected. Beside her was a handsome man dressed in all black with bright blue eyes and a hook for a hand.

"Regina, it's so nice to see you," Belle said truthfully, giving her friend a hug. "Why don't you two come in," she said, ushering them into the living room, trying to ignore Hook.

"Hello Regina. Hook," Gold said, struggling to stay civil. He forced a small smile.

"Hello crocodile," Hook said in a charming way that made Gold's blood boil. Mary Margaret and David were shocked to see the captain standing there. "And I prefer Killian if you don't mind. Goes better with the whole redemption thing," he added with a smirk. Gold's eyes narrowed, not enjoying being called crocodile again.

"My name is either Mr. Gold or Rumplestiltskin. I suggest you use one of them dearie," Gold said, the threat in his voice very clear. Belle gave him a concerned look that also held a small warning to behave.

"Well, I find Mr. Gold to be a little formal, and Rumplestiltskin is a bit of a mouthful. I suppose Rum will have to do," Hook said, still flashing an arrogant smile. Gold forced himself to take a deep breath before he tried to kill the man. It did little to dissipate the anger he felt at this man daring to use _her_ name for him.

"If neither of those work for you, then feel free to call me Gold. I would ask that you refrain from nicknames and if you ever call me 'Rum' again…" he started, slipping into some of the threatening habits he had as the Dark One. David and Mary Margaret braced themselves and Belle flinched. Regina's face remained unreadable.

"You'll what? Last I checked you don't have any magic," Hook said, calling Gold's threat as a bluff.

"Killian!" Regina hissed, not approving of her companion's words. She still wasn't a big fan of the former Dark One, but knew that they could be civil.

"Last I checked he didn't need it last time," Belle said calmly, giving a gesture towards her fiancé's cane. Hook chuckled at the memory and Gold's grip on his cane tightened. Belle sighed. "For now you are a guest in our home, but I have no problem asking you to leave if you try anything," she said, placing a hand on Gold's shoulder in calming manner. "If you refuse to leave, we can and will force you out," Belle finished, staring the captain straight in the eyes. Her tone was polite but forceful. Hook raised an eyebrow.

"Makes me wonder why you even bothered inviting me," Hook said, noting the chilly reception he had received from his hosts.

"You were invited because of Regina. She is a dear friend of mine and is a part of this family. My fiancé and I are willing to look past our history with you because of her. We trust Regina and she believes you have changed, so we made the decision to allow you to come here tonight, to consider you part of the family," Belle said. Regina shot her a grateful smile since she knew Belle wasn't particularly fond of her date. The party was spared having to respond when the doorbell rang. "And that would be Emma and Neal," she said smiling. Regina followed her to the door.

"I left the presents for Henry and everyone else in the car," she explained to everyone. Belle knew better since, after all, Regina could easily just magic the gifts to the living room, but said nothing for the moment. The two opened the door to see Emma and Neal, each carrying a few gifts.

"Hello you two," Belle said smiling. "Come on in, everyone's in the living room," she added.

"You might want to hurry and get in there before they decide to kill each other," Regina said, causing the young couple to raise an eyebrow. "I suppose it's my fault. Let's just say I brought a guest," she explained, leaving the two still confused. Emma and Neal headed to the living room, noticing silence as they set their presents down. Meanwhile, Regina looked towards. "Thank you," she said sincerely. Belle gave a small smile.

"I don't like him much," she admitted, "But if he makes you happy then I'm happy. Besides, if you two ever get married he'll become part of the family anyway," Belle said, hand waving the whole thing.

"Still, I mean it. Thank you," Regina said.

"Now let's go make sure they haven't killed each other," Belle said with a small smile, causing Regina to grin. They walked into the living room just as Neal and Emma were turning around to greet everyone.

"Hook?" they said in unison, both confused.

"Hello love," Hook said charmingly to Emma. "Peter, I almost didn't recognize you," he added to Neal. "And I prefer Killian. It works better than Hook for this whole good guy thing," he finished with a smile. Neither Emma nor Neal were convinced, both having had previous dealings with the pirate captain. "And before you ask, I'm here as Regina's date."

"Regina's date?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow, to which Hook nodded.

"Yes, he's here with me," Regina said politely.

"For the record, I don't go by Peter in this world. Call me Neal," Neal said to Hook begrudgingly. He felt uneasy about Hook being there, but knew it was only fair. If his father and the Evil Queen received a chance to redeem themselves the pirate captain deserved a chance as well.

"I don't believe we've all been properly introduced," Hook noted. He knew just about everyone's face, but he didn't know names. "I'll start. My name is Killian Jones, formerly known as Hook, and my connection to this little family is through Regina," he stated with charming smile and bow.

"I'm Mary Margaret or Snow White depending on your preference. I'm Emma's mother," Mary Margaret started with a smile. She already knew Hook, but figured it would be good to set an example for the others to follow.

"And my wife," David said, adding to Mary Margaret's introduction. "You can call me David," he said, not sure what to make of the leather clad pirate. He figured it would be best not to confuse Hook with his many different names.

"I'm Henry. My birth mom's Emma and Neal's my dad," Henry said, and, like his grandfather, wasn't sure what to make of his adopted mother's date. Hook raised an eyebrow.

"So you're the one that broke her heart," he said with a smirk to Neal and Neal flinched. Belle came to his rescue.

"My name is Belle, though I'm sure you already know that much. I am soon to be Bael-" she started before correcting herself, "Neal's stepmother," Belle said. Hook looked confused before he started putting two and two together.

"Wait a moment. If you're soon to become his stepmother you're marrying his father yes?" Hook asked, to which he received a nod from Belle. "But that means that-you're _his_ son?!" he demanded of Neal. "You're Milah's boy?" Hook asked quietly in horror, remembering all the times he tried to kill Neal, all the times he tried to kill his old love's son.

"Yeah. You didn't know that?" Neal asked, surprised. Hook was too shocked to even respond and Gold couldn't help but chuckle.

"How did you think I was related to this family dearie?" he asked. Seeing Hook caught off guard by the revelation helped Gold control his distaste for the man.

"I didn't think…didn't realize…Milah's son…" Hook stammered. He turned again to face Neal. "You know what he did to your mother don't you? How can you even stand to be in the same room with him?!" he hissed.

"Well, I think this has been a lovely conversation, but we really should eat. The food's getting cold," Belle said cautiously, trying to defuse the situation as she noticed her true love tense up.

"I think that sounds wonderful," Mary Margaret said smiling, trying to assist Belle.

"Yeah, I'm starved," Henry said, reminding everyone that there was a child in the room so they couldn't afford to start a blood feud.

"Everything's already on the table. Come on," Belle said. It took a moment for everyone to follow her into the dining room, but eventually everyone took a seat at the table.

This was going to be an interesting meal.

**I have to say, Hook's been a blast to write! We'll see get more of the Mary Margaret, David, Emma, and Henry next chapter. Up next we have a dinner filled with awkwardness, confessions, and secrets! Any predictions? I'd love to hear them :)**


	3. A Glimpse of the Past

**Hello again! First off, I want to again thank everyone for all of the reviews, favorites and follows because seriously, you guys are amazing! This one is really long, and a bit angstier towards the end. I promise we'll get some lighter fluff next chapter! It has a lot of backstory, and if any of you see anything I got wrong, please let me know. I tried to make sure they were accurate as far as what's already been revealed about them and that characters were acting in character, but I may have gotten something wrong. Anyways, enjoy!**

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Just like at Thanksgiving, the meal started in an awkward silence. Mary Margaret internally sighed, thinking they had gotten over this hurdle at that meal. David also seemed to sense the déjà vu and gave Mary Margaret a small nudge. His wife immediately knew what he meant by it.

"Well, let's get everything started with some good news," David started, a huge grin on his face that Mary Margaret matched.

"I'm pregnant," she admitted, practically glowing. Excitement grew around the table.

"That's wonderful!" Belle said smiling, feeling happy for her friend. "When did you find out?" she asked. Mary Margaret hadn't said anything at Thanksgiving so it had to be pretty recent.

"About a week after Thanksgiving," Mary Margaret said. "I started feeling sick the day after Thanksgiving, but I assumed it was from eating too much the night before," she admitted.

"So why are you just now telling us dearie?" Gold asked, sharing his fiancé's excitement for the couple, though he kept his much more visibly subdued.

"We figured we'd share the news with the whole family at once, and what better time to do that then Christmas Eve?" David said.

"Sounds like you're going to be a big sister," Neal said to Emma, a small smile on his face.

"Wow," she stammered. "I thought you two were waiting?" Emma managed to ask her parents.

"Apparently fate had other things mind," David said, causing his wife to giggle. "You are okay with this right?" David asked after a moment, realizing his daughter seemed conflicted.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a bit shocked," Emma admitted. "I know it's been months since we found each other, but it's still strange having parents the same age as me," she added. "Congratulations though. In the little bit of time we've had together you've been great parents. My little brother or sister is very lucky," Emma finished, ending with a small smile on her face.

"Speaking of, I take it you two don't know the gender yet," Regina stated, to which the lucky couple shook their heads. "Would you like me to-?" she started a bit shyly. Her offer surprised Mary Margaret and David, and Mary Margaret scolded herself for thinking so. She and Regina were friends now. Mary Margaret offered her a smile.

"I would love that," she said. "If you want to," she added, stammering a bit. Regina smiled, not minding at all. She focused for a moment and smiled.

"It's a she. You're going to have another daughter," Regina said smiling. The expecting parents looked at each other and smiled.

"A little girl," David repeated. He hadn't cared about gender, but knowing it somehow made everything sweeter.

"So what are you going to name her?" Henry asked, excited at the idea of getting an aunt, even if he planned on treating her more like a sister. Mary Margaret laughed.

"We haven't gotten that far yet. We just found out her gender," David said chuckling.

"I have a name," Mary Margaret said smiling, and David became curious. "I think we should name her Ruth, after your mother," she said gently. David smiled.

"I think that's a wonderful name," he said, remembering his mother fondly.

"Is this how all your dinners are? All good news and congratulations?" Hook asked while taking a sip of wine. He seemed unimpressed.

"The juicy stuff comes later," Regina said with a small smile. "Besides, we use news like that as an icebreaker," she added.

"So Emma, can we be expecting any grandchildren soon?" Mary Margaret said, only half teasing.

"Yeah, I can't wait to have a little brother or sister," Henry said grinning. Emma stared at her son and parents in horror while Neal gave a nervous laugh. Unlike Emma, Neal wasn't surprised by Mary Margaret's question. He remembered Thanksgiving after all.

"Maybe someday kid," Neal said, though Emma still looked a bit flustered. Hook chuckled and decided this was turning out to be an interesting dinner after all.

"So what about you two? Any plans for any little crocodiles?" Hook asked Belle and Gold with a smirk, hoping for a reaction similar to Emma's. Mary Margaret frowned since to her knowledge Belle still couldn't conceive. She was very surprised to see Belle exchange and Gold exchange an affectionate smile.

"We're planning on it, but not until after the wedding," Belle said shyly. She gave Regina a smile that puzzled Mary Margaret.

"When is the wedding?" Emma asked.

"Beginning of April. It's a bit soon, but we want to keep it small, just family and a few friends. I expect all of you to be there of course" Belle said. Gold smiled. He enjoyed seeing his fiancé so excited and animated about the wedding, though he would never admit it to anyone but her.

"What does your father think about you getting married?" David asked, remembering a little incident where her father kidnapped her to keep her away from Gold. Belle sighed and Gold tensed up ever so slightly.

"He basically disowned me," she admitted. "I think he'll eventually come to terms with it once he realizes that it's my decision. It may take some time, but he'll come around. Hopefully before the wedding," she said, a touch of sadness in her voice. "But if he doesn't, I'll need someone to walk me down the aisle. I would be honored if you would, Bae," Belle finished with a small smile.

"I would love to, mom," Neal said smiling. He'd grown close to his future stepmother in the past month, but this was the first time he'd ever called her mom. It had just slipped out, but Neal realized that he meant it. Belle noticed it too, and surprise soon turned to happiness on her face. Gold couldn't help but smile. He was thankful for the second time that day that Belle and Neal had connected so well. "So who's your best man?" Neal asked, making Gold pause for a moment. Gold hadn't thought about that yet.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. He wasn't close with anyone in town; nearly every man he knew and liked was in this room, and that was just David and Neal. Immediately he knew the right choice. "I know we have our differences," Gold started, "But you're the closest thing I have to a friend in this town. David, would you be willing to be my best man?" he asked. David smiled.

"Yes, I would," he said. After David remembered all things he and Gold had talked about regarding Belle and true love, he found that he wasn't surprised that Gold asked him.

"Let me guess, you asked Ruby to be your maid of honor?" Mary Margaret asked. She knew the two had grown close. Belle nodded and Regina chuckled.

"That's going to be one wild bachelorette party," Regina noted. Hook raised an eyebrow.

"So, Hook, how did you meet Neal?" Mary Margaret asked after a moment. Hook was surprised. He expected to spend the dinner listening to their tales. He never thought he would be asked to share his.

"Well..." Hook started, quickly regaining his composure. He thought for a moment. "Actually, how much do you already know?" he asked, wondering how much Neal told them.

"I should probably start," Neal admitted. "I haven't told them anything. They just know we met in Neverland," he told Hook. Hook gave a small nod, curious as to how Neal ended up in Neverland in the first place. Neal hesitated for a moment before looking at his father. "Actually, I think the beginning is your story to tell," he confessed. Gold nodded. He feared as much when Mary Margaret asked Hook about his past.

"Do you want me to start with becoming the Dark One or with your mother?" Gold asked Neal. He already knew which on he should start with, though it didn't mean he wanted to.

"With Milah," Hook answered for Neal, acting seriously for the first time that evening. He wanted to find out what she ever saw in the old coward that sat before him. Gold sighed.

"It's a long story, and certainly not a happy one," Gold warned. No one spoke up.

"Let's hear it," Henry said after a moment. Gold took a deep breath and began recalling the distant past.

"Milah and I first met as teenagers. I was the son of a coward raised by spinsters and she was the beautiful daughter of a poor farmer. We fell in love and got married. I was drafted to fight in the ogre wars and we couldn't have been happier. I finally had the chance to escape my father's shadow," Gold started, feeling nostalgic. "There was a seer being kept prisoner. We were warned not to talk to her, but my curiosity got the better of me when I was asked to watch her. She told me my actions on the battlefield would leave my son fatherless. That's how I found out Milah was pregnant. When several of the things the seer predicted started coming true I made a decision. I took a hammer to my leg so that I would be sent home," he said, gesturing towards the limp he still had from that day. "I did not want my son to grow up without a father like I had. By the time I finally made it home, Bae had already been born. I thought Milah would be happy to see me alive, but she was disappointed. She knew I had injured myself and believed me to be a coward just like my father. As Bae grew up, Milah and I grew more distant and I started becoming the coward everyone thought I was," Gold said. He sighed. "I think that's a good place for Hoo...Killian to start," he finished. Hook's real name tasted awful on his lips, but Gold decided to at least give him that little piece of respect. Gold knew he'd have to finish his story, but decided that this would be a good break.

"Thank you for using my real name," Hook said quietly, surprised that Gold had. He wasn't sure what to make of the insight he just received on the 'crocodile's' life. Hook also knew where he would have to pick up in their story. "I met Milah one night when our ship docked at her village. She was taking a few hours to escape from her husband, whom she described as a cowardly weakling, among other things," Hook started, leaving out Milah's harsher insults. He wasn't sure why he did. Sympathy? Hook frowned. He couldn't believe he was starting to feel sorry for his former enemy. "In just the few hours we spent together, I found myself intrigued in this beautiful woman. She spoke of wanting to run away, to escape from the village that was suffocating her. Milah told me that only one thing kept her from leaving. That was about the time your father came in looking for her with you," Hook admitted, looking at Neal. "She decided to go home that night, but the next day I found her waiting for me on my ship," Hook finished, looking to Gold to continue.

"I tried to convince her to stay the night before she left. Milah wanted to start over, to escape from being considered the coward's wife. I could see that she was unhappy, but I tried to convince her to try a little longer, for Bae's sake. The next day I was told she'd been kidnapped by pirates. I gathered up what little courage I had and confronted Killian. I begged him to let her go, and he challenged me to a duel. I couldn't-wouldn't-fight," Gold admitted, sighing.

"She began traveling with us, eventually being accepted as a member of the crew. We fell in love and life was good," Hook started without missing a beat. "Yet, even though we were both happy, I knew that Milah felt there was something missing. The only thing she ever regretted was leaving her son behind. She tried so hard to justify why she left you, but she knew she couldn't fool herself. Milah loved you more than me, more than freedom, more than anything," Hook said to Neal with a sigh. He was still trying to figure out why he was being so honest about something so personal.

"After Milah left, the village stayed the same. Bae began to grow up. When he was about to turn fourteen, the kingdom was forced to use children as soldiers. We fled to the forest so that he would escape being drafted to the front lines to die. We were approached by soldiers who reminded us that it was treason to try and escape a draft," Gold continued, remembering the soldiers all too well. "After they left, an elderly man appeared and offered to help us. He told me of a dagger the Duke had that controlled the Dark One. With that sort of power, he told me, I could protect my son. We set the castle on fire and I went in and stole the dagger. I used the dagger to summon the dark one. I forced myself to try and be brave, but the Dark One terrified me. He proceeded to taunt me and when he implied that Baelfire's was not my son I killed him in a blind rage. As he died, I realized he was the old man who told me to find the dagger. It had been his plan all along. He considered his powers a curse, saying that all magic comes with a price, one that was now my burden to bear. And so that night, a new Dark One was born," Gold finished bitterly. He hadn't realized how tightly he gripped his seat until he felt his fiancé's gentle hand rest on it, with a look of concern in her eyes. Gold laced his hand with her as Neal continued their tale.

"Everything started getting better at first. My father managed to end the war without further bloodshed, and we never had to worry about going hungry again. But as time passed, he began to change. My father started turning into something dark and evil. He still loved me, but his powers were corrupting him. I wanted my papa back, but he told me the only way he could get rid of his powers was for someone to kill him with his dagger. So, I offered him a deal. If I could find a way to get rid of his powers without killing him or hurting myself, he would do it. I met with the blue fairy to see if she could help me accomplish my goal. She gave me a magic bean that would take us to a land without magic, a place where I could have my father again. My father and I agreed to try the bean, but when the portal opened he broke his deal. He chose his power over me, and I fell into the portal alone. I ended up in Neverland of all places," Neal said, sadness in his voice.

"I immediately regretted my choice. I would spend the next few centuries working on a curse that would let me reunite with my son. The deal I made with my son is the only deal I have ever broken," Gold said.

"I suppose that means I get to explain how I made it to Neverland as well," Hook mused. "In our travels, we had managed to find a magic bean. There weren't supposed to be any left, so it was certainly a rare treasure. We were docking at a port to get supplies before we used it when I officially met the Dark One. He had heard about our bean and, unfortunately for me, remembered exactly who I was. This time he challenged me to a duel and was about to kill me when Milah interrupted. She offered him the bean in exchange for our lives and freedom. Rumplestiltskin demanded to see the bean first, so we took him to our ship. We showed him the bean, and he asked Milah if she felt any regret for leaving her son. She admitted she did, but also told the Dark One she never loved him. He ripped her heart out of her body and crushed it right in front of me, and then he cut off my hand to get the bean, though he chose his hand poorly. After he departed, my crew used the bean to travel to Neverland," Hook said, not wanting to elaborate on what happened with Milah. It had been centuries ago but it still weighed heavy on his heart.

"I was found by local boys when I first arrived in Neverland. They had never seen a stranger appear like I had, but we became fast friends. I learned how to fly, and we went on adventures together. It was easy to forget what happened with my father, but the pain never completely went away. We were on the beach when Hook's ship appeared from the portal. I recognized the portal immediately and wondered if you had managed to find your way here," Neal said.

"When I walked on the beach and looked around I saw a young boy of about fourteen leading around a group of younger kids. Naturally I was curious, and he asked me for my name," Hook said.

"He told me his name was Killian Jones and the first thing I noticed was the hook he had for a hand. One of the boys said that he should be called Captain Hook, something Hook found hilarious. I didn't recognize his face from that night in the bar, and he didn't seem to know me either. He asked me for my name since I looked like the leader of the lost boys I'd found," Neal said.

"I had no clue who he really was. He gave me a simple yet charming name. Peter Pan," Hook said chuckling. "And that, my friends, was where the real adventure began," he said with a smirk.


	4. Dinner Part 2

**I originally planned to do dinner in one chapter, but Hook/Neal/Gold's backstory was a lot longer than I thought it was. So, you get another chapter of dinner. We have a special guest in this chapter that I hope you'll enjoy :)**

* * *

The party was silent for a moment. The only person there who knew any part of the story was Belle, who knew only the basics. Even the trio telling the story learned something about each other.

"Why did they call you a coward?"

The question came from Henry, and everyone knew he was talking to his grandfather. Gold was caught off guard and looked visibly puzzled.

"I mean, you did run from the war, but that was for your son and wife. You confronted a pirate captain with your bad leg to save your wife, and you went inside a burning castle to save your son. That doesn't sound very cowardly to me," Henry explained. Gold chuckled.

"I still ran from the war and I was too afraid to duel the captain. Storming that castle I'll give you, but I was desperate to save my son. And don't forget that I was so afraid of losing my power that my son grew up fatherless just like the seer predicted," Gold said before giving the boy a small smile. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I know I was a coward. I still am, though I'm not as bad as I used to be. I'm still afraid of losing my son, the woman I love, and the rest my family as well. But I'm not afraid to fight for them, even if I can longer use magic to protect them," Gold admitted.

"You've really changed," Hook noted without a trace of animosity. He had seen the coward and the Dark One, but this was the first time he really saw the man that Milah had fallen in love with.

"He's right. But I'm glad you have," Neal said smiling.

"When I asked how you two met I didn't expect to get your whole life story," Mary Margaret said with a small smile.

"Well, we had to explain how we got to Neverland. Besides, it's always complicated when Rumplestiltskin's involved," Neal pointed out. David chuckled.

"It certainly is," David agreed.

"Thank you for sharing your story. I know it couldn't have been easy to tell," Belle said to the three men. She knew their past would be brought up, but she didn't expect it to be talked about so early at dinner. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't know about it already?" she asked.

"Rum's told me the basics, but I didn't have all the details. I knew he'd tell me everything when he was ready," Belle said.

"So tell us about your adventures in Neverland," Regina said.

"How about later, I'm sick of talking right now," Neal joked.

"I have to agree with him. Besides, I'd love to hear you lovely ladies divulge your greatest secrets," Hook said, back to his charming self. Emma raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were dating Regina, lover boy," Emma said.

"I am," Hook protested and Regina chuckled. Hook blushed slightly when he realized what he said. Mary Margaret giggled.

"Sounds like he's fallen love with you," she noted, and it was Regina's turn to blush. "And I think you like him too," Mary Margaret added, noting Regina's reaction.

"Why do you think I talked to Belle about bringing him?" Regina asked, admitting her stepdaughter was right without actually saying so.

"So is he your true love?" Henry asked, causing Regina and Hook to pause. They were spared having to answer by a ring on the doorbell. Gold looked puzzled.

"I didn't think we were expecting anyone else," He said, looking to Belle to see if she knew who it was.

"Neither did I," Belle said, just as confused as everyone else. Nonetheless, she stood up to find out who was at their home. Gold followed behind her, curious about this mystery person. When they opened the door, nothing could have prepared them for the sight before them.

Standing in front of them was dirty blond male with blue eyes, wearing a short red Santa dress with fishnet stockings. His expression started off embarrassed but turned to horror when he saw that Mr. Gold was one of the people before him. Behind the man a roar of laughter could be heard coming from young brunette.

"Dr. Whale?" Gold stammered, not believing his eyes. At the mention of the doctor's name, the others crowded around the door to see the visitor.

"My my, I think red's a good color for you," Regina said smirking. Dr. Whale wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and die.

"All right, I think that's enough for this house," Ruby, the woman behind him, said. She wore a huge grin on her face. Dr. Whale quickly ran back into their car, partially because of embarrassment and partially because it was freezing outside.

"What on earth was that about?" Belle asked. Part of her was scarred for life but another part wanted to bust out laughing, while another part felt sorry for the poor man. Ruby smirked.

"Let's just say he lost a bet," she said smugly. "I'll tell you about it later. For now, we have a whole town to visit. Merry Christmas!" Ruby said as waved the goodbye to the family. The family stood there for a moment before Belle closed the door. The second the door shut, everyone busted out laughing.

"Wow, she actually managed to do it," Mary Margaret said after everyone had calmed down. She knew what the bet was all about but hadn't expected Ruby to win it. "She bet Whale that she could get Archie to agree to a relationship between the three of them," she explained. No one was quite sure what say to that.

"I still can't believe you slept with that creep," David muttered, shuddering at the thought. Gold and Regina raised an eyebrow.

"You never told me about that," Regina said with a smirk.

"We were cursed!" Mary Margaret protested. "It was no different than you and Kathryn," she pointed out.

"Hey, let's not argue about our se-love lives in front of Henry," Emma said, eager to change the topic.

"Is everyone through with dinner?" Belle asked.

"After that, I'd say yes," Hook said chuckling. No one disagreed with him.

"All right then, if everyone would help me clean up we'll move this to the living room," Belle said, and everyone got to work. When everyone was seated, Henry spoke up.

"You know, I've been wondering. I know everyone here's been through a lot in the past, but we've had happy times too. I guess what I'm asking is, what is your happiest memory?" Henry asked. Everyone thought for a moment before anyone answered.

"That's a good question," Regina noted. "But my happiest memory was the day I adopted you," she admitted. Unlike many of the others in the room, Regina didn't have as many happy memories to choose from.

"I don't really have a happiest memory, but my time with Milah was the happiest I ever was. I have to say though that I'm starting to feel that way again," Hook confessed with a small smile. Mary Margaret made a mental note to ask them how they fell in love.

"I've got a lot to choose from, but I think the happiest moment of my life happened right when the curse broke, when I realized my daughter was alive," Mary Margaret said smiling. "I was so proud of the woman you had become," she added. "There were a few other moments in my life that were amazing, but I think that memory wins," Mary Margaret finished.

"For me I have to say it was when Emma was born. Yes, it was the day the curse hit and the day we became separated, but that one little moment was perfect," David said smiling.

"My happiest memory was right when the curse broke. That moment where Henry opened his eyes was the happiest I'd ever been. When I first came to Storybrooke I wasn't going to stay, buy Henry gave me a reason to. And I don't regret it. Just seeing him open his eyes, knowing that he was still alive, was the most wonderful feeling in the world," Emma said in a rare show of emotion.

"I would say finding out I had a son, but there was so much going on when I found out," Neal admitted. "So, I think I've got to go with something from my childhood. I was twelve, and it was getting close to the harvest time. We were struggling to get by, but that was nothing new. My papa decided to close early one night and he took me to the top of the hill overlooking our village at sunset. The next thing I know, little lights start flying around us. Papa caught one and showed it to me, calling it a firefly. That day we decided to come to our hill every night at sunset to watch the fireflies," Neal said, recalling it fondly. Gold smiled, remembering the day well. He also realized it was his turn.

"I'm not sure what my happiest memory is. Just about any happy memory I have is bittersweet at best," Gold admitted. "But I would have to say finding you again was happiest moment of my life. I know it wasn't exactly pleasant for you, but knowing that everything I had done over the past few centuries hadn't been in vain made me glad I found you," he confessed.

"Mine actually happened recently. Today, in fact, when Neal called me mom," Belle said smiling. "I already knew I would be marrying my true love which made me happier than anything, but once he called me mom I realized that I'm not just gaining a loving husband, but an amazing son as well," she said. "So what about you Henry?" Belle added.

"The day that mom decided to redeem herself again, after everything that happened with Tamara and Greg. On that day I realized I was lucky. I don't have one mom and one dad. I have two moms and a dad," Henry said smiling, causing Emma, Regina, and Neal to smile as well.

"Well, I think this has been very sweet," Mary Margaret said smiling. After a moment of comfortable silence, Regina asked a single question.

"So who wants to play a little game?"

* * *

**I know these aren't the happy memories every one of you would have chosen, but hear me out. For most of the family, the "happy" moments were overshadowed by something dark. Snow and Charming's weddings, the official and then the royal, had Ruth die and Regina threaten the couple with the curse respectively. That's why I picked some of the events that I did. Think of a memory that works better for anyone? Let me know.**


	5. Let's Play a Game: Christmas Edition

**Everyone's favorite game is back, only this time we have two more players! Once again I would like to thank everyone for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows because without them I don't think I would have finished A Charming Thanksgiving, let alone started this one! I really like how this one turned out, even if it feels a little choppy at times. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

"What sort of game?" Henry asked, confused.

"I forget we have two new players," Regina mused. "The rules are simple. We start off sitting in a circle. Someone will start and can ask anyone in the circle one question. That person can answer or drink a glass of wine. Simple enough right?" She asked, looking to Hook and Henry.

"Well, Henry and Mary Margaret aren't allowed to drink since he's underage and she's pregnant. Also, no repeating a question that has already been asked or asking another person involved with the event the question. Also, since we have Henry joining us, please avoid NSFH questions," Emma said, stating some of the extra rules. Hook raised an eyebrow.

"NSFH?" Hook asked.

"Not suitable for Henry," Regina explained. Hook laughed.

"And you people do this for fun?" He asked, not impressed. Belle smirked.

"Oh it's fun all right," she said giggling. "Who wants to start?" Belle asked.

"I will. Dad, how did you and mom meet?" Henry asked. Neal chuckled.

"Well, I had stolen a car, a little yellow bug to be exact. I was taking a nap in the backseat and the next thing I know someone was driving my stolen car. That someone was Emma," Neal said. His confession reminded Emma of something she'd been meaning to ask him, and fortunately she was next.

"What was your reaction to finding out I kept the bug?" Emma asked.

"I was very surprised. I didn't think you had kept anything when we met up in Manhattan. You weren't exactly thrilled to see me, and for good reason too," Neal said. "My question is for you. When did you find out you were pregnant?" he asked. Emma sighed.

"It was a few months after I was thrown in jail. The same day I received the keys to the bug," she admitted reluctantly. Neal was about to ask about the money he gave August to give her, but realized he would have to wait for his next question.

"Killian, how did you and Regina meet?" Gold asked. He thought it was a simple question, but Hook looked hesitant. Hook pondered the question before downing a drink, confusing Gold. "What, is it not appropriate for Henry?" he asked, trying to make sense of things.

"Oh, it's appropriate for Henry. I just happen to value my life. Besides, I could use a drink," Hook said. Belle was initially as puzzled as her fiancé, until Hook said he valued his life. Belle chuckled when she realized that she was the reason Hook wasn't sharing the story and that she was the reason the couple met in the first place.

"For Killian, why did you refuse to answer Rum's question?" Belle asked, feigning ignorance.

"So she gets to call you Rum but I don't?" Hook teased, avoiding the question. Gold ignored him and Hook sighed. "I already said why. I like living," he said, hoping they would drop the matter. Unfortunately for him, Regina was next.

"Belle, how did you first meet Killian?" Regina asked, pretending to not already know. Hook frowned. He knew it wasn't against their rules since Regina was asking her a different question, but it still felt cheap to him.

"You don't already know?" Belle asked dramatically, playing along. Regina fought a back a laugh. "Well, it was while you held me captive back in our world. He burst through the door and I assumed you'd sent him to kill me. Hook said he was a friend there to rescue me, and claimed that Rum was holding my father captive. I told him I would try to reason him, but he was searching for a weapon to kill the Dark One. I said that I knew nothing about a weapon and I wouldn't tell him if I did," Belle said, leaving out the part where Hook knocked her out.

"So that's how you knew who he was at the library," Gold mused. He wasn't too happy about the reveal, but forced himself to realize that it happened in the past. Besides, Belle was alive and well and had already forgiven Hook for most of his deeds.

"Can I ask a question to more than one person?" Hook asked.

"I don't see why not," Regina said, meeting no objections.

"All right then, for Belle and Rumplestiltskin, I would like to ask if you would forgive me. For everything," Hook asked, growing serious. "I became so caught up in my revenge that I was willing to hurt innocent people," he confessed. The couple was quiet for a moment.

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Gold started with a sigh, surprising everyone. "I've done far worse things than you have, though what you've done is far more personal, and yet these people here decided to forgive me. I hated you for what you did, but I think it's time to get rid of that hate. I think it is time to forgive," he admitted reluctantly. Belle put a hand on his shoulder.

"I couldn't have said it any better," Belle said with small smile.

"Thank you," Hook said, no hint of sarcasm or falseness in his voice. Mary Margaret smiled.

"So Regina, how did you two fall in love?" she asked. Regina gave a shy smile.

"Well, after everything calmed down I started making a habit of walking to the docks to watch the sun rise. One day, I saw Killian sitting on the edge of the pier, staring at the water. I recognized him immediately and demanded to know what he was doing here since, to my knowledge, he was still, well, evil," Regina began, not liking having to use the word evil. "When he turned to face me, he looked broken, like a man just waiting to die. 'Just enjoying the view your majesty' he said. He was trying to act all charming, but I knew it was a mask. It was the same mask I have worn many times throughout my life. I mockingly asked him if he was still trying to skin a crocodile and he told me there was no point, that the crocodile won. That reminded me a bit too much of my past, so I walked up to Killian and sat next to him. I confessed that I found out the hard way that revenge isn't worth it, and we spent the next few hours talking about revenge, the past, and the future. When I finally left, he asked me if I was going to walk by the docks again tomorrow, and I told him that I do it every morning. We started talking every day when I came by, and eventually our odd friendship grew into something more," she admitted. Hook gave her a small smile. David chuckled.

"So, when's Henry going to get a sibling from you two?" he asked teasingly. Regina was dumbfounded, but Hook just laughed.

"Not anytime soon," Hook said smiling. It wasn't that he didn't like children, he actually enjoyed them, it was just too early in their relationship to think about having kids.

"Either of you can answer this, but can you tell us about your adventures?" Henry asked, looking forward to stories of adventure and heroics. The two men looked at each other before Hook nodded.

"Bottoms up," Neal said as they did a mock toast and downed a drink apiece. They laughed when they saw Henry's shocked face. "Sorry kid, maybe another time. We've got too many stories about Neverland to share tonight," he said, trying to ease Henry's disappointment. Emma chuckled.

"Will we ever find out what happened in Neverland?" she asked.

"What happens in Neverland stays in Neverland," Neal joked. "Seriously though, I'll tell you all about it someday," he said. "My question is for you again Emma. When you received the keys to the bug, there was money with it right?" Neal asked. Emma looked puzzled.

"There was no money," she said. Emma had no clue what he was talking about. Neal frowned.

"I gave August money with the keys to give you," he explained. Emma shrugged.

"What's it matter? It was in the past," Emma pointed out.

"Henry, how did you start figuring out who was who while we were cursed?" Gold asked. Henry was excited about being asked his first question.

"Well, the curse affected me a bit too until I got the storybook. When Mary Margaret gave it to me, I started realizing that time was stopped here; I was the only person who was aging. That was when I knew something was off. Then I started reading the stories and I started noticing things, like how Ruby is close to Red and how she works for her granny, and several things that Mary Margaret said that Snow White says in the book. I was able to figure out who just about everyone was. Well, except for you," Henry admitted. Gold chuckled.

"Did you have any theories of who he was?" Belle asked. Henry shook his head.

"Not really. I was pretty sure Gold wasn't one of the heroes, but he was always pretty nice to me. Plus, he looked a lot different in the book," Henry explained.

"A side effect of being the Dark One for so many years," Gold said.

"Speaking of, do you still have your leather pants?" Belle asked her fiancé. Gold chuckled and Hook spared him from answering.

"I do believe it's Regina's turn, love," he said smiling.

"Sorry," Belle giggled apologetically, but her question peaked Regina's curiosity.

"_Do_ you still have them?" Regina asked.

"I have many articles of clothing from our land in the back of my shop, including Belle's gold dress, Snow White's wedding dress, and yes, the leather pants," Gold admitted.

"I didn't realize some of our clothes made it through," Mary Margaret said, surprised.

"I have most of them, and I think Regina has the rest," Gold said. Regina nodded.

"I have my dresses from when I was queen, and I think a few other dresses. I don't know why I decided to bring them over with the curse," Regina mused.

"You didn't. Like the other objects in my shop, they were important to the person who wore them," Gold explained.

"Does that mean your leather pants were important to you?" Hook asked smirking. Gold took a drink, refusing to answer such a ridiculous question. Belle giggled.

"Well I think you wore them very well," Belle said with an impish smile before kissing Gold on the cheek.

"And I did not need to hear that," Hook said chuckling.

"Belle, Gold, where is everyone sleeping?" Mary Margaret asked with a yawn, tired and trying to change the topic.

"We have three guest rooms and the sofa in here folds out into a makeshift bed. If you don't like any of those, we have a few other sofas. Who sleeps where is up to all of you," Belle said. "We'd offer up our bedroom, but Rum needs a bed for his leg," she admitted apologetically. She would have preferred for everyone to get a bed, but she was telling the truth. Hook snickered.

"Sure, for his leg," Hook said smirking, causing Belle and Gold to blush slightly.

"I can sleep out here since I'm the only person here who sleeps alone," Henry said obliviously, causing several of the newer couples to blush.

"Actually, why don't you take the guest room? Killian and I can sleep out here," Regina replied hastily. "That should cover everyone," she added. Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"I'll show everyone to their rooms. There's a bathroom down the hall on this floor and there are two on the second floor," Belle said, giving the family the grand tour. After she led everyone to their rooms and made sure they knew where the bathrooms were, she headed to her and Gold's room to call it a night.

And so everyone went to sleep. Or did they?

* * *

**Enjoyed the Captain Queen backstory? Or perhaps you enjoyed Rumplestiltskin's leather pants? Let me know what you liked, what you didn't, and what you want to see happen in the future! Next time, see what everyone says and does before they go to sleep :)**


	6. Happy Endings

**I would have had this chapter up yesterday, but it really got on my nerves. It's definitely better than I thought it would turn out, but I do think it's one of my least favorite chapters. In other news, this story is almost done! I have at least one more planned, probably two. As always, thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Enjoy!**

* * *

Guest Bedroom 1

"What were you talking about earlier, about money?" Emma asked as she and Neal slipped into their nightwear.

"Well, you know how I was in contact with August. We met up about a month or so after you and I separated. I was still in love with you and hated myself for abandoning you, so I gave him the keys to the bug and some money and told him to make sure you got it," Neal explained, sighing as he slipped into a white t-shirt shirt and changed into sweatpants. He turned around, having given Emma some privacy, to see her in a red tank top and grey sweats.

"Well, I never did," Emma said frowning.

"Would you have kept Henry if you'd had that money to support him?" Neal asked curiously.

"I don't know. I probably still would have given him up because I wanted to give him his best chance," Emma admitted. "I was young and alone, and I gave birth to him while I was still in jail," she pointed out.

"If I hadn't left you I think I would have proposed to you," Neal admitted. They had been planning on settling down anyway; after all they both had gotten sick of running.

"And I would have said yes," Emma confessed. "But I never would have made it to Storybrooke, never would have found my parents, never would have broken the curse and your father never would have found you," she said sighing.

"It certainly got worse before it got better," Neal said chuckling.

"I'll say," Emma said sighing.

"But everything has gotten better. Both of us spent most of our lives alone, and now we finally have a family to call our own. We finally have our happy ending," Neal said smiling. Emma gave a small grin and kissed him.

"I think it's more of a happy beginning," she said before turning off the lights.

* * *

Guest Bedroom 2

"We'll have to start shopping soon," Mary Margaret mused. She stood in front the mirror, staring at the reflection in front of her. Mary Margaret wore a short, sheer nightgown and a smile on her face. David came up behind her and kissed her neck while placing his hands protectively over her belly.

"We've got a lot to get," David noted. The couple had a lot of baby items back in their world but not here. Mary Margaret giggled as she turned to face him.

"We should get started then, shouldn't we," Mary Margaret said teasingly as she kissed her husband.

"Tomorrow," David promised. He crouched down until his head was at Mary Margaret's belly. "Hello Ruth," he said kissing her belly. Mary Margaret giggled.

"She can't hear you yet," she teased.

"You're mother thinks you can't hear me, but we know better right?" David said as Mary Margaret laughed. "We can't wait to meet you. Seven more months is too long," he said, placing a hand on Mary Margaret's stomach. "You'll have a whole family who will love and protect you," David finished lovingly.

"And you'll probably get a few crib mates before too long," Mary Margaret said with a smile. The two were silent for a moment. "I hope we can do this," she said to David with a sigh.

"We can. We have no curse, no enemies, nothing that wants to hurt or separate us," David said, standing up. He cupped his wife's face in his hands. "I know you're worried. But we can do this. Emma said as much at dinner and it's true. We finally have our happy ending," he said smiling. Mary Margaret smiled.

"We certainly do," she said, turning off the lights.

* * *

Master Bedroom

"This has been nice so far," Belle said smiling as she crawled into bed with her fiancé.

"Tomorrow will be even better. There's nothing quite like Christmas morning in this world, especially when it snows. It's truly magical," Gold said, returning her smile.

"Then I can't wait for tomorrow morning. Do you think it will snow?" Belle asked, slipping into Gold's arms.

"Sadly, it's not supposed to," Gold admitted, though he felt content. He would be happy holding his true love like this forever.

"Well that's a shame, but I bet it will still be wonderful," Belle said smiling.

"I know you'll love it," Gold said lovingly before giving her a kiss. Belle giggled.

"I'm sure I will," she said. "Thank you for keeping your promise," Belle added after spending a few moments in Gold's arms. Like him, she wouldn't mind spending an eternity like this.

"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I meant what I said when he asked for our forgiveness," he admitted. "I think I lost a lot of the hate I had when Henry broke my curse as the Dark One," Gold added after a moment. Belle gave him a huge grin.

"I know you weren't willing to give up your powers but I'm glad you did," she said.

"Me too sweetheart. Me too," Gold said smiling.

"Did you ever think you'd get your happy ending?" Belle asked. Gold chuckled.

"In all the years I've lived I never thought I would. And yet here I am with my true love, my son, and an entire family I never knew I had. For once I am happy," Gold admitted. He gave Belle a small kiss. "So what about you? Is this the happy ending you always imagined?" he asked. Belle giggled.

"It's certainly not what I expected, but I think that's part of what makes it perfect," she said smiling. The two laid there for a moment before Gold broke the silence.

"Well, we should get some sleep. Goodnight Belle," he said smiling, giving his fiancé one final kiss.

"Good night Rum," Belle said giggling as she turned off the tableside lamp.

* * *

Living Room

"You haven't celebrated Christmas before have you?" Regina asked as she created her makeshift bed out of a sofa.

"Of course not," Hook said, removing the hook that gave him his name. He took a look over his sofa and chuckled. "Who would have thought that one day I would be sleeping on the Dark One's couch?" Hook asked, shaking his head.

"Apparently the same person who thought I could be friends with Snow White," Regina said with a small smile. "Are you sure you don't want this couch?" she asked for easily the third time that night.

"I'm sure, love," Hook said smiling. "Of course, we could share it," he suggested teasingly. Regina laughed.

"I'm certain everyone believes we are," she admitted.

"That doesn't surprise me," Hook said smiling.

"Thank you. For not pushing it," Regina said quietly.

"You've respected my wishes regarding my past so it's only common courtesy that I respect your wishes as well," Hook pointed out.

"I love you," Regina admitted. "And I believe you feel the same way, but I'm not ready to give myself away again. Not after Daniel," she said sighing. It had been years since the stable boy's death but the wound was still fresh on her heart. Sure, she'd been with other men, but none that she truly cared for and loved. Not since Daniel.

"To be perfectly honest, I do love you," Hook admitted, his normal charming facade gone. "And I know it takes time. It's been centuries and I still haven't completely gotten over Milah. Your whole life has been one big mess between your mother and Rumplestlitskin. It will take time for all of that to heal, trust me, but until then I'm here for you," Hook said with a small smile. "I had given up when you found me at the docks, but you gave me a reason to keep living, a reason that had nothing to do with revenge," he admitted, placing his hand on Regina's cheek. Regina smiled and kissed him.

"I never thought I'd get anything close to a happy ending," she admitted.

"This is only the beginning, love," Hook said smiling. He gave her one last kiss before falling onto the couch. "Well, we should probably get some sleep. I think we're the only ones still up," he noted. Regina laughed.

"I suppose we should. Goodnight, Killian," she said smiling.

"Goodnight Regina," Hook said, sharing her smile.

And with that, the last light in the Gold household flickered off.

**So, there were going to be some hijinks going on but it didn't really fit the mood I was setting at the beginning of this chapter. As always, were there things you liked, didn't, or any suggestions? If so, let me know! I love reading suggestions, and a lot of them inspire me even if I don't use the particular suggestion. Thanks again y'all!**


	7. Christmastime

**And now the moment we've all been waiting for: Christmas Morning! This one's a long one, and I really like how it turned out. As always, thank you for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

An alarm went off in the living room and Regina quickly moved to turn it off before anyone else could hear it. She yawned and looked at the time, only 5:30. _Perfect_, she thought smiling. On the other side of the living room, Regina saw Hook stir. "What on earth was that?" he muttered groggily, siting up.

"Nothing. Go back to sleep," Regina said gently. Hook didn't need to be told twice as he lay down and drifted back to sleep. Regina smiled. She had a lot to do before everyone else woke up.

Emma, surprisingly, was the first to wake, and felt something calling out to her. "What in the world?" she murmured to herself as she quietly crawled out of bed, trying not to wake Neal in the process. She groaned when she saw that it was only 5:45. Not bothering to get dressed, Emma yawned as she walked downstairs. The sun hadn't even risen yet, and the only light downstairs was a dull light emitted from Regina's hand. "You're up early," Emma said, realizing it was the magic that woke her up.

"As are you Miss Swan," Regina noted. She was surprised to see the blonde woman awake so early. "Did I wake you? If so, I must apologize," she said with a smile.

"Your magic did. What are you up to this early in the morning?" Emma asked, simply curious. She knew there had to be a reason Regina was up this early, but she didn't suspect it was anything evil. Not after how much Emma had seen the mayor change.

"Well, it's our first Christmas together as a family, and Killian and Belle's first Christmas ever so I thought I would have a little fun and make it a memorable one," Regina confessed. Emma raised an eyebrow and Regina gave an exasperated sigh. "Why don't you take a look outside?" Regina suggested. Emma walked to the nearest window, but couldn't see anything. Regina held her hand close to the window and Emma let out a smile when she saw what Regina wanted her to. Emma chuckled at the sight.

"You got up this early to make it snow?" Emma asked.

"Well, I figured we should have a white Christmas. Besides, this all I had gotten done before you came down," Regina admitted with a small smile that Emma returned.

"What else do you have planned? I'll help," Emma said, much to the former queen's surprise. Her surprise did not go unnoticed by Emma, who laughed at her expression. "We're family now. Plus, I haven't had much of a chance to practice my magic recently," Emma admitted.

"Then let's get to it," Regina said smiling.

* * *

Henry, the first to wake, rolled over to see the clock read 8:30, but that wasn't what caught his attention first. "Wow," he managed to say as he walked over to the window to see snowflakes falling gently to the already white ground. Sure it snowed often in the winter, after all they lived in Maine, but Henry couldn't remember ever having a white Christmas in Storybrooke. He bounded out of the room and knocked on the door of the room next to his, the room in which Emma and Neal were sleeping in. "Hey, wake up!" Henry said, unable to contain the excitement in his voice. Neal groggily turned over to wake Emma and was surprised to see she wasn't there. His thoughts were interrupted by another knock on the door. "Come on," Henry nudged.

"I'm coming," Neal said chuckling. He opened the door to see his son standing in front of him, still in his pajamas.

"Where's mom?" Henry asked, noticing that Neal was alone. Neal shrugged.

"I'm not really sure. She's probably around here somewhere," he said. He knew it wasn't like Emma to wake up early, but decided not to let it bother him. "Merry Christmas by the way," Neal added with a smile. Henry grinned.

"Merry Christmas, dad. Come on, let's go get the others," Henry said, rushing to the next room, Mary Margaret and David's, and knocking on the door. "Wake up sleepy heads!" He said. Mary Margaret was the first to hear him and sat up. David woke up when he felt his wife stir beside him and chuckled.

"Well, I guess it's Christmas," David said chuckling. Mary Margaret giggled.

"Let's not keep Henry waiting," she said smiling, pulling herself and David out of bed. They opened the door and were greeted by Neal and Henry. "Merry Christmas you two," Mary Margaret said, her excitement almost matching Henry's.

"Merry Christmas," David said, wrapping his hand around Mary Margaret's waist.

"Merry Christmas," Neal and Henry said in unison, causing the married couple to laugh. "All right, time to grab Belle and Grandpa," Henry said smiling before knocking on the final bedroom door upstairs. Belle woke first and stared out the window in awe.

"I thought it wasn't supposed to snow," she said smiling to her fiancé, who had just sat up.

"It wasn't," Gold said smiling, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "Merry Christmas sweetheart," he added, to which Belle responded with a kiss on his lips.

"Come on you two, Henry's dying over here. You can be all romantic later," Neal said chuckling. Gold and Belle jumped until they realized that the door was still closed. Belle, blushing, opened the door as Gold grabbed his cane and stood up.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Belle said smiling. Gold came up behind her and gave everyone a small smile. Everyone excluding Neal and Belle looked at him in shock.

"What is it?" Gold asked, puzzled by their expressions.

"Nothing," Mary Margaret answered quickly.

"It's just…we've never seen you out of a suit," Henry admitted, causing Gold to laugh. Of course, they were looking at his black silk pajamas.

"Did you all think I slept in a suit?" Gold asked teasingly. David, Mary Margaret, and Henry blushed.

"N-no, it just surprised us to see you out of one," David confessed.

"Well, enough about my wardrobe. I believe we should get downstairs unless you plan on doing Christmas up here," Gold said, and everyone followed him downstairs into the living room. The sight that greeted them shocked everyone, even Gold and Belle. The tree was lit, but not by any electricity. Its lights glowed different colors, its ornaments appeared to dance around the tree. The entire living room was lit up and it looked like snow was falling from the ceiling. Henry held a hand out to catch a snowflake, but it disappeared the moment it touched his hand. Two of the reindeer ornaments escaped the tree and bounded around the family. One of them landed on Belle's shoulder, the other on Mary Margaret's head. They heard a quiet chuckle and turned to see Hook enjoying the scene.

"They were up a couple hours ago. It took them while to get it just right," he said with a smile, gesturing towards a sleeping Regina and Emma whom had found very comfortable spots on the couches. "Personally, I think it's perfect," Hook admitted, and the others couldn't help but agree with him. The sudden ruckus was enough to wake the two sleeping beauties.

"Merry Christmas," Emma said yawning and sitting up. Regina sat up as well. Henry ran over and gave each of his moms a hug.

"You two did this?" Henry asked, still not quite believing his eyes.

"It was Regina's idea," Emma admitted with a smile.

"Emma was a huge help," Regina confessed. "And Merry Christmas everyone," she said smiling.

"This is incredible," Belle breathed, causing Emma and Regina's faces to beam with pride.

"Well, let's not have any more delays," Regina said, bringing in her gifts to the family into the living room via magic. The largest one she placed in front of Mary Margaret and David. She couldn't help but laugh at their reaction to the apple wrapping paper she used. The two worked together to get the wrapping paper off and both gave gasp when they saw that it was pink crib.

"How did-? We didn't tell you I was pregnant until yesterday," Mary Margaret said, confused but very pleasantly surprised. Regina smiled.

"I've known since Thanksgiving," she admitted. "I was really glad when you two decided to officially tell us last night," Regina added. David and Mary Margaret smiled.

"Thank you, Regina," they said together.

"Merry Christmas," Regina said grinning. "Next up Henry, Emma, and Neal. Henry, Emma's is for the two of you," she said, gesturing towards the small gift each had in front of them. By then, everyone had already taken a seat. Emma opened hers to find an envelope and laughed when she read what was inside of it.

"Two coupons for one free magic lesson?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Awesome!" Henry said grinning.

"Gold has the other half of your gift," Regina explained. Neal opened his to find an envelope as well, and he raised an eyebrow at what was inside.

"A coupon good for three wishes?" he asked. Regina giggled.

"Well, you're the person in here I know the least, so I figured that would cover just about everything," she admitted. "Next, Belle and Gold," Regina said smiling. Like Mary Margaret and David, the pair had only one gift in front of them, though theirs was a lot smaller. Belle carefully unwrapped the gift, and Gold opened the box underneath. Their hearts stopped when they saw what was inside, both recognizing the item immediately. Gold was the first to react and pulled out the object, a delicate china cup with the smallest of chips at the rim.

"H-h-how-?" Belle stuttered, still not believing her eyes. She knew she smashed the cup into tiny pieces while she was in the hospital.

"Well, I knew the cup meant a great deal to the both of you, so I found the pieces and patched it up," Regina said dismissively, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. In reality, Regina had a hard time trying to find all of the individual pieces even with magic, though mending the cup to its current state had been simple enough.

"This is the second time you've returned this to me," Gold mused. "Thank you," he said seriously after a moment. Regina allowed herself a small smile.

"I never thought I'd hear you thank me," she teased.

"Well, I believe there's a first time for everything," Gold said chuckling. Regina smiled and turned to Hook, having saved him for last.

"I wasn't sure what to get you at first," Regina admitted. "I had several ideas, but as I got to know you better I realized that none of them were the right gift," she explained, handing Hook what appeared to everyone else to be a piece of paper. Hook chuckled.

"A treasure map, love? May I ask what sort of treasure it is?" Hook asked with a charming smile. Regina laughed.

"Where's the fun in that?" Regina said smiling. "Besides, you'll find out soon enough," she said.

"I look forward to it," Hook said honestly. "And I do believe I have a gift for you. That's how the tradition goes, yes?" he asked. "I thought about getting you a heart for your collection, but I couldn't find anyone willing to lend me theirs," Hook started, gesturing for Regina to turn around. "So I went looking and found something, something that I thought I'd lost a long time ago," he continued, pulling a heart-shaped necklace he bought from the jewelry store. "So here you go. I'm giving you something I haven't given away in a very long time. I'm giving you my heart," Hook finished, clasping the necklace around her neck. Regina placed her hand over the heart and smiled.

"I'd give you mine but you already stole it," she teased, giving him a kiss. "It's beautiful, thank you," Regina said.

"Not half as beautiful as you. You truly are the fairest of them all. No offense, love," Hook said charmingly, directing the last part to Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret smiled.

"None taken. I suppose it's our turn," she said, gathering the presents from under the tree.

"I'm not sure how we're supposed to top your gifts though," David said chuckling. He passed around the presents they bought. "These are from me, Mary Margaret, Henry, and Emma," he explained when he finished. "Let's see…Neal, why don't you open yours first? The one on top is from me, my wife, and Henry, and the bottom one's from Emma," David said. Neal opened the top one first to find another envelope and he laughed.

"Did you plan this?" Neal joked. He opened the envelope and chuckled at what he saw inside. Emma glanced over his shoulder to read the note and turned a dark red. "We give you permission to marry Emma," Neal read. "You two must really want those grandkids," he said, giving a nervous chuckle. "Thank you," Neal finished seriously. He opened up Emma's gift to him to see another envelope. He looked at Emma.

"We planned the envelopes, but we didn't know Regina would do the same thing," Emma admitted. Neal opened the envelope to see a picture of a house. "I know you've been looking for a house here. When I saw this house, I immediately knew it was perfect," she said with a small smile. Neal grinned.

"It is perfect," he admitted. When he suggested settling down with Emma in Tallahassee, this was the sort of house he imagined buying. It was small and yellow, but with a very quaint and homey feel that reminded Neal a bit of his home in the Enchanted Forest. "Wait, did you buy me a house?" Neal asked raising an eyebrow. Emma laughed.

"No," she said smiling.

"Well, I love the house. We should buy it," Neal said smiling. "And yes, I meant 'we'. I want you to move in with me," he said.

"Then you just accepted your Christmas present," Emma said smiling, giving him a kiss.

"While we're at it, why don't Belle and I go ahead and give you our gift?" Gold said, tossing a small package towards Neal. Neal caught it and unwrapped it to see…another envelope. Regina laughed. "We did plan it with David and Emma," Gold admitted as Neal opened the envelope.

"A key?" Neal asked, taking the item out of the envelope.

"Well, you might need a way to get into your new house," Belle said smiling. Neal raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't buy me a house?" Neal asked Emma.

"She didn't. I own practically all of Storybrooke including this house, so technically no one bought it. Emma found the house, so Belle and I took care of all of the details," Gold said smiling.

"Thank you. I've been saving up money to find a place for about a month now," Neal admitted with a grin.

"All right Emma, time for your gift from me and your mom," David said smiling. Emma opened the present and found a very familiar sword waiting for her. Emma laughed as she read the note attached to it.

"For use against dragons, pirate scum, evil queens, ogres, Dark Ones, and other evil forces. Use with care. Love, Snow White & Prince Charming," Emma read. "Thank you," she said smiling. Neal handed her a small box.

"For you," he said smiling as Emma opened his gift to her. Emma grinned when she saw a gold necklace with a small dream catcher on it.

"It's perfect," Emma said as Neal put the necklace on her.

"I hope all of us didn't get a necklace for our girl. I thought really hard about mine," Hook said in mock despair and Regina laughed.

"For Emma and Henry Belle and I have the other half of Regina's gift," Gold said passing a package over to the two of them. Henry opened it and grinned.

"It's a spellbook!" he said excitedly. Emma smiled.

"I expect both of you to use your powers for good," Gold warned with a playful smile.

"All right, now for Regina from me," Mary Margaret said smiling as she handed Regina a small box. Inside was a beautiful horse figurine. "I remember that you used to love horses back in our world," she said.

"I love it," Regina said smiling. "We should go riding sometime," she added.

"I'd like that," Mary Margaret said.

"This is from me, David, and Emma," Henry said smiling, giving Regina another package. She opened it to see a few seeds in it. "They're apple seeds so you can grow some more apple trees," he explained.

"This is perfect," Regina said smiling.

"Neal wasn't sure what to get you, so he helped me and Belle," Gold said, handing Regina their present to her. Regina opened it to find an envelope. "We weren't sure what to get you, so Mary Margaret helped us out," he admitted as Regina opened the envelope the find a picture of horse. "It's yours if you'll have it. We've been taking care of it at the stables," Gold finished. Regina smiled as she remembered riding horses in the Enchanted Forest. It was one of her favorite things to do, and one of the few times she felt truly happy.

"Thank you," Regina said wholeheartedly.

"We also have a little something for Killian. We didn't find out until a few days ago that you were coming, so we'd like apologize in advance," Belle said, handing Hook a gift. Hook managed to get the gift open and laughed when he saw what was inside.

"A toy crocodile?" he asked with a smirk. "Thank you," Hook said. He knew it was mostly a joke, but the fact that they bothered to get him anything considering their past touched him.

"Henry, while we finish up the rest of the adult presents why don't you work on yours?" David suggested, realizing they still had a few more to go through and Henry hadn't had a chance to start on his yet.

"Sure," Henry said smiling.

"Now, for Belle and Mr. Gold," Mary Margaret said smiling, handing them each a gift. Belle opened hers first and found a copy of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and other Jane Austen novels. "Your fiancé told me you hadn't read these yet so we thought you might enjoy them. They're considered classics in this world," Mary Margaret explained.

"I love them, thank you," Belle said smiling. Gold opened his to find an envelope and chuckled.

"Six months of free meals at Granny's Diner?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, we were having a hard time coming with a gift for you until we remembered how much you two go to the diner," David admitted sheepishly.

"Well I think it's wonderful. Thank you," Gold said smiling. It was hard to believe that less than a year ago they had all been enemies.

"And of course I had to get you two a little something," Neal said smiling, handing them a gift. They opened it together and found two t-shirts. One read "World's Best Mom" and the other "World's Best Dad". "I wasn't sure what to get you until dinner two weeks ago," Neal admitted, chuckling at the inside joke. Both Belle and Gold laughed.

"We love it. Thank you, son," Gold said smiling, speaking for the two of them.

"Are we going to hear that story?" Regina asked smirking.

"Sure, when you're dead," Gold replied with his own smirk. "While we're at it, I still have to give you your gift," he said with a smile to Belle. Gold placed a medium sized box in her hands.

"Why don't you two do yours at the same time?" Regina suggested. Belle and Gold didn't think anything of it, and Belle gave Gold a box about the same size as the one he gave her. The two managed to get their gifts open at the same time and they laughed when they saw what was inside. Inside Gold's was a fat orange tomcat and inside Belle's was a small white kitten.

"Let me guess, you were inspired by our conversation about cats?" Belle asked, still giggling. Gold nodded.

"And you asked Regina for help?" Gold asked, smiling. This time Belle nodded. The orange one curled up in Gold's lap while the white one started to play with the magical snow falling around them. "Merry Christmas, Belle," he said lovingly.

"Merry Christmas, Rumplestiltskin," Belle said, giving Gold a kiss.

"I believe we have a few more gifts to give out," Gold said, gesturing towards the last few gifts in front of David and Mary Margaret. They opened the first gift, from Belle and Gold, and found a very familiar glass unicorn mobile.

"I remember this! It's Emma's baby mobile," David said smiling.

"But how is it here?" Mary Margaret asked, looking over to Gold.

"It's one of the many objects that came over to this world in my shop. You two were talking about having more children, so we believed you might want that back," Gold explained, smiling.

"Thank you," Mary Margaret said smiling. They opened the next one, this one from Emma and Neal to find…an envelope. Mary Margaret laughed and David chuckled.

"December 12th," David read. "What's December 12th?" he asked Emma and Neal. The two in question shared a glance before answering.

"Our wedding," Neal admitted with a smile. David and Mary Margaret's faces lit up.

"That's wonderful news!" Mary Margaret said, unable to contain her excitement. Emma and Neal smiled.

"When did this happen?" Gold asked smiling.

"Last week," Neal admitted.

"This is great," David said grinning. He handed Mary Margaret a small box. "Merry Christmas," he said smiling. Mary Margaret opened the box to see a green peridot ring. "I found it in Gold's pawnshop," David explained.

"Your mother's ring! I thought it was lost forever," Mary Margaret said smiling.

"Well, I found it like I found you," he said kissing her.

"Now for yours," Mary Margaret said, handing him a note.

"You'll get yours tonight?" David read raising an eyebrow. Mary Margaret giggled.

"You'll see," she said smiling.

"Well, I think that's more than I needed to know," Emma said, slightly horrified.

"Merry Christmas everyone!" Henry said smiling.

"Merry Christmas," everyone replied in unison.

* * *

**I would have had this up yesterday, but I had a hard time coming up with a few of the gifts. I liked how this chapter turned out, and there's only one left! Did you enjoy the gifts? Can you think of something that would have worked better? Let me know in the reviews!**


	8. Goodbye

**This is it, the last chapter of the Christmas story! It's a short one, mostly because my brain is already focused on my next story. I'd like to thank everyone for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows because those really mean a lot me! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The peaceful silence was broken by a strange, grumbling sound coming from Henry's stomach.

"Oops," he said sheepishly and everyone laughed.

"Come on, let's fix you some breakfast," Belle said smiling.

"There's no need," Regina said as Belle and Henry walked to the kitchen through the living room. Both gasped when they saw the dining room table was already set and pancakes in front of the seats. "Emma and I decided to take care of breakfast since you and Gold fixed dinner," Regina explained with a smile.

"Thank you. Both of you," Belle said smiling.

"So are we going to eat or not?" Regina asked, smirking. Everyone immediately sat down and started to dig in, settling into easy conversation while they ate. Afterwards, the guests reluctantly knew it was time to go.

"Well, I should get going. I have to get moved in after all," Neal said, a touch of sadness in his voice.

"It's been wonderful having you," Belle said smiling. She gave her soon to be stepson a hug.

"Merry Christmas mom," Neal said smiling. He walked over to Gold and hugged him as well. "Merry Christmas papa," Neal said.

"Merry Christmas Bae," Gold said smiling. With that, Neal gathered his belongings.

"Merry Christmas everyone," Neal said with a grin as he walked out the door.

"I think that's our cue," David said.

"Thank you for having us over, it's been incredible," Mary Margaret said smiling.

"This has been nice," Emma admitted.

"Merry Christmas!" Henry said grinning.

"Merry Christmas!" Belle said smiling as the family left with their possessions.

"You know, this hasn't been half bad," Hook admitted.

"It really hasn't," Gold admitted.

"I'm glad you two came," Belle said smiling.

"Thank you for inviting us. Well, for inviting me and letting me bring Killian," Regina said smiling.

"I told you, I had no problem with Killian being here if he makes you happy, and based on what I've seen he does," Belle pointed out. Regina smiled.

"Goodbye you two. Merry Christmas," Regina said as she and Hook left. Belle closed the door behind them and gave Gold a smile.

"So, did you enjoy your first Christmas?" he asked, matching her smile.

"You were right. It truly is magical," Belle said kissing him. "So what are we going to name them?" she asked after a moment when their orange and white cats brushed against their legs.

"I'm not sure. I hadn't thought that far ahead," Gold admitted. He hadn't expected for Belle to get him a cat as well.

"I'll make you a deal then," Belle said playfully. Gold raised an eyebrow. "I'll name the white one since you got it for me if you name the orange one," said smirking. Gold appeared to mull it over for a moment.

"Deal," he said smirking, holding out a hand. Belle immediately shook it.

"All right, her name is...Fluffy," Belle said decidedly. It was one of the few pet names she knew from this world and it fit the cat well. Gold couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Fluffy?" he asked teasingly. Belle nodded.

"Yes, Fluffy. And I do believe it's your turn," she pointed out, crossing her arms. Gold looked down at the cat he was supposed to name. The cat was big and orange, but that didn't help Gold come up with a name.

"I've always dealt with names but I've never had to come up with one," he mused.

"What about Baelfire?" Belle asked.

"Milah named him before I returned from the war," Gold said. He then smiled. "I have a name," he announced.

"What?" Belle asked.

"Darcy," Gold said smirking, knowing Belle didn't get the reference. "You'll understand soon enough," he said in response to her raised eyebrow.

"Darcy and Fluffy," Belle repeated, tasting the names on her tongue. "I like them," she said approvingly. Gold laughed.

"I'm glad. Merry Christmas Belle," he said smiling, giving her a kiss.

"Merry Christmas Rum," she said giggling.

**The End**

**And that's it for Christmas! I have one more story planned for the family based around a holiday, but not one I think you all will expect. I hope all of you have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it!**


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